The Brutish Museums
The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution

As someone who is researching the repatriation of museum artifacts, this book could not have come out at a better time. I know how difficult it is to explain the complicated concepts of ownership and "culture war" on museums, but this book plainly explains the violence behind colonialist looting and......more

This is a very uneven book: 3.5 stars. Quite a bit about this evidences excellent scholarship (even the parts that seem unnecessarily detailed for a lay-reader like myself). Hicks has a strong argument and at times makes his case very well. In its content, I support the role he envisions for museums......more

such a fascinating topic but omg could the writing BE more convoluted......more

Britain’s self-narrative of empire never fails to unsettle me, with its claims to a humanitarian empire, one of benevolence integrating those scattered far and wide into a global family with advanced education and efficient railways. We are told to be proud of it, as perhaps Britain’s greatest globa......more

3.5 rounded up. The ideas presented are interesting and important, and I do personally agree very strongly with most of it. The role and nature of museums in supporting structural racism is important and in need of questioning- presenting cultures and objects as frozen snippets, removing contexts of......more